Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 644: Easier Said Than Done

"The grudges of the past have already been settled. Why do you persist in this relentless pursuit..." Du Wuhen said as he stood at the center of the encirclement, his long scythe resting against his shoulder.

Shadows clung to him like a second skin, and black winds coiled around his figure, howling softly in the still air.

"Settled?" Feng Chaoyang retorted sharply. "This ends when a blood debt is paid for with blood."

Without hesitation, he ruthlessly summoned three General's Constellation Orbs. The radiant spheres drifted into the air, circling him slowly. Misty qi spiraled off them, forming a nebula-like haze that shimmered faintly with light.

The disciples of the Celestial King Sect encircled Du Wuhen, standing several feet apart. Wisps of mist trailed behind each one, like ribbons that stretched and merged into the swirling starry mist around Feng Chaoyang.

Du Wuhen knew well the formidable nature of Celestial King Sect’s Star Nebula Formation, so he had no intention of engaging in a prolonged standoff.

His eyes locked onto Feng Chaoyang, appearing ready for a direct confrontation. However, the moment he raised his scythe, his body twisted sharply, slashing towards a Celestial King Sect disciple behind him.

He was trying to escape!

His action set the entire formation in motion, causing the members of the Celestial King Sect to rise into the air. As the wind from Du Wuhen’s scythe roared toward one of them, the mist encircling the disciple twisted sharply. In the blink of an eye, the disciple vanished and was replaced by someone else.

Boom!

The disciple vanished in an instant, and Feng Chaoyang appeared in his place.

Feng Chaoyang had previously been at the center of the formation!

The three orbs orbiting Feng Chaoyang flared and accelerated, merging into a solid ring of radiant light.

Du Wuhen’s scythe tore through the air, colliding against it with a thunderous crash.

In that moment, the starry river seemed to fracture—the swirling mist of light scattered violently. His strike carried immense force, but it still wasn’t enough to shatter the defense.

Feng Chaoyang stepped forward and pushed one of the glowing orbs from his chest. The orb shifted from defense to attack, shooting out as a beam of light that smashed into the shaft of Du Wuhen’s scythe.

Du Wuhen quickly raised his scythe to block, but the impact exploded with a deafening roar, and blinding light engulfed him.

A sharp cry of a bird echoed through the air moments later.

A gust of azure wind burst forth, lifting Du Wuhen high into the sky. The Azure Wind Onyx Bird had revealed its true form! Riding the force of the explosion and the bird’s incredible speed, they soared upward like a flash of lightning.

"Sky Net!" Feng Chaoyang shouted, leaping into the air as soon as he saw that Du Wuhen was attempting to escape. A dozen Celestial King Sect disciples followed, rising like pillars of light. In perfect unison, they wove a massive net across the sky.

Du Wuhen unleashed a barrage of ferocious wind blades, but they were all repelled by the light net, halting his ascent instantly.

He lowered the Azure Wind Onyx Bird again, skimming the ground like a storm, swiftly reaching the entrance of the mountain.

A refined-looking man stood at the mountain entrance, waiting in silence. The distant explosion caught his ear, and he turned just in time to see Du Wuhen charging toward him atop the divine bird, moving at blistering speed. There was no time to react.

Du Wuhen recognized him instantly. The man was an honored ally of the Lei Family who had accompanied Lei Ren earlier. His presence confirmed Du Wuhen’s suspicion. They had foreseen his escape route.

Fury ignited within Du Wuhen, his killing intent rising like a storm. The Azure Wind Onyx Bird showed no sign of slowing.

With a sharp stomp of his foot, Du Wuhen commanded the bird to lower its right wing by three chi.

Meanwhile, Fang Zizai lingered at the entrance, waiting for Zhuo Yuxiang. As time stretched on, the growing commotion from the Lei Family Residence made his heart race.

Unease crept over him, and he considered going back for now.

Unexpectedly, he found himself in this situation.

By the time he thought to dodge, it was already too late. Without exceptional cultivation, he stood no chance against Du Wuhen’s killing intent and full-force attack.

Shhh—

A cold glint flashed. In a breath, the onyx bird’s wing sliced through cleanly, severing Fang Zizai’s head from his body.

Fang Zizai’s headless body remained standing, as if he was still awaiting someone’s arrival.

Du Wuhen shot past the mountains in an instant, but the Celestial King Sect disciples pursued him relentlessly.

The Azure Wind Onyx Bird’s speed was unmatched. Even as Feng Chaoyang transformed into divine light, the distance between them only grew.

"Assist me!" Feng Chaoyang’s voice rang out.

The disciples responded immediately, forming hand seals and thrusting their right hands forward. Over ten beams of mist solidified, striking Feng Chaoyang’s back and propelling him forward like a shooting star.

Whoosh.

With the surge of power, Feng Chaoyang streaked through the sky, appearing above Du Wuhen in a flash.

"Die!" he roared, thrusting both hands forward.

Three spinning General's Constellation Orbs shot from his palms, blazing as they expanded into glowing rings that tightened around Du Wuhen like shackles.

Realizing the danger, Du Wuhen transformed into a whirlwind, attempting to disperse the three orbs.

But it was too late.

Gritting his teeth, Feng Chaoyang’s voice echoed across the sky.

"Explode!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sky erupted with light. Though the General's Constellation Orbs were rare and invaluable, Feng Chaoyang sacrificed them without hesitation to destroy Celestial King Sect’s greatest enemy.

The three General's Constellation Orbs exploded simultaneously, igniting the night with brilliance. For a fleeting moment, it was as if three suns had risen together, their radiance spreading across the land for hundreds of miles.

Those who glanced at the night sky were blinded by the sudden brilliance, shielding their eyes as they cried out in pain.

When the light faded, silence hung heavily in the air.

At the heart of the blast, nothing remained. There was no sign of Du Wuhen and no trace of the Azure Wind Onyx Bird.

The Celestial King Sect disciples descended one by one, gathering around Feng Chaoyang, their eyes fixed on him in quiet anticipation.

Feng Chaoyang turned and said to his fellow disciples, "The Azure Wind Onyx Bird might have escaped the power of three exploding General’s Constellation Orbs, but Du Wuhen is dead. There’s no surviving that."

...

The Whale-Riding Immortal, Jiang Yuebai, and Chu Liang walked out of the Lei Family residence, the air thick with an unsettling silence.

Unable to bear the quiet any longer, Chu Liang spoke up. "The Lei Family went through so much trouble hiding it for years, and it turns out the piece of scroll in their possession was a fake."

The Divine Ruins' scroll was said to be crafted from hide imbued with potent spiritual energy. It was an item that felt otherworldly. However, the piece in the Lei Family’s possession was made from ordinary sheepskin. It was nothing more than a counterfeit. Though this fake map was expertly crafted, it took only a glance for the Whale-Riding Immortal to recognize the forgery.

The Whale-Riding Immortal spent considerable time interrogating Lei Ren through various methods. After confirming Lei Ren didn’t know anything else, the Whale-Riding Immortal finally gave up and left.

"Turns out the lead to the Blossom Barbarian Kingdom was false as well," Jiang Yuebai said. "Their reports claimed the Lei Family had a part of the scroll, but if this one is a forgery, then the piece that caused a stir in Muzhi City was likely fake too. The real, final piece of the map is still missing."

"I got those three clues from your mother back then," the Whale-Riding Immortal said. "I’m not sure how Divine Ruins Monastery uncovered the locations of the four parts, but I doubt they were wrong."

"The clue about the part being in Muzhi City..." Jiang Yuebai’s brow furrowed slightly. "It’s brought us to a dead end."

The Whale-Riding Immortal turned to Chu Liang and said, "You should head back to Mount Shu first. I'm sure they’ve been searching for you all these years. Go ease their worries; let them know you’re safe. Yuebai and I will continue searching for the last part of the Divine Ruins' scroll."

Chu Liang’s gaze lingered on Jiang Yuebai, reluctant to part from her.

Jiang Yuebai met Chu Liang’s gaze, her eyes soft with warmth. After years apart, reuniting only to part once more inevitably left a quiet sadness lingering between them. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

As the two exchanged lingering glances, a sudden neigh rang out. A blaze of fire galloped toward them, crashing into Chu Liang’s arms.

"Ah." Chu Liang stroked the Fierce Draconic Colt’s head and gently led it aside. "Saves me the trouble of finding you. Let’s head back... huh?"

The Fierce Draconic Colt raised its head with a flattering tilt, eyes gleaming expectantly. Chu Liang’s gaze dropped, noticing the colt delicately holding a brocade box in its mouth, presenting it like a treasured gift.

"Where did this come from?"

He hesitated for a moment before gently taking the brocade box from the colt’s mouth. Its fine craftsmanship hinted at something valuable inside, and Chu Liang couldn’t help but laugh.

"An unexpected bonus."

Upon opening the box, Chu Liang’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Nearby, the Whale-Riding Immortal let out a long sigh. "You should return to Mount Shu. Let me wander this path alone."

Jiang Yuebai shook her head firmly. "Father, I told you six years ago, this isn’t just your burden to bear."

"Haaaaaaa," the Whale-Riding Immortal sighed. "The world is vast, and the land of the nine provinces and four seas stretch endlessly. That single fragment is simply too small. If you follow me, it will be like searching for a needle in the sea. I can’t let you waste your youth chasing shadows."

Jiang Yuebai replied, "I believe we'll find it soon."

"Hah." The Whale-Riding Immortal gave a wry smile. "Easier said than done."

Chu Liang stepped forward, extending the brocade box. "Here."

The lid creaked open, and inside lay a fragment of the scroll. Its unmistakable aura and craftsmanship left no doubt it was real.

"I... Uh..."

The Whale-Riding Immortal had only just begun to settle into the melancholy that had been brewing within him when it was abruptly cut short. His smile of sadness hung awkwardly on his face, and a twitch tugged at his brow as his composure wavered.

After a long, awkward pause, he finally spoke. "Where... exactly did you get this fragment of the map?"

WHERE DID YOU GET THIS PIECE...

Chu Liang pointed at the Fierce Draconic Colt beside him. "I got it from this colt."

The Whale-Riding Immortal felt lightheaded. I spent years traversing the nine provinces, chasing shadows and dead ends. Yet, you casually found three of them. Doesn’t this make me look dumb?

Though it was hard to accept, the sudden realization that he finally had all four pieces of the Divine Ruins' scroll left the Whale-Riding Immortal teetering between confusion and excitement.

For a moment, he didn't know what expression to make.

"So..." The Whale-Riding Immortal held the final piece in his hand, glancing between Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai. "That’s it?"

Jiang Yuebai nodded. "Yes."

A long silence followed. Then, Whale-Riding Immortal exhaled deeply, the weight of years of searching easing from his shoulders.

"There’s only one step left, but it will take time. For now, we part ways," he said. Then he turned to Chu Liang and sincerely expressed his gratitude. "Chu Liang... thank you."

Without this kid, who knew when they would have found those three parts of the map.

After their farewells, the Whale-Riding Immortal left with Jiang Yuebai.

Chu Liang wasn’t sure what the final step involved, but it was clear it wouldn’t be simple.

As he watched them disappear into the distance, Chu Liang let out a long, quiet sigh.

Parting is always the sorrow of the sentimental... he mused.

He then mounted the Fierce Draconic Colt, preparing to leave Cliffhold Bastion.

The Fierce Draconic Colt seemed to sense his mood, pacing gently and lifting into the air. As they glided low over the mountain entrance, a faint prickle ran down Chu Liang’s spine. Someone was watching him.

Below, Chen Huang stood near the entrance, his eyes fixed on the sky.

After freeing the Lei Family’s beasts as promised, he went there and had been waiting for Zhuo Yuxiang. However, even though he waited for a long time, she never appeared.

A flicker of irritation crossed his face.

When Chen Huang finally heard movement and thought his beloved had arrived, he turned eagerly... only to see a servant riding the Fierce Draconic Colt, drifting through the sky.

His expression darkened, annoyance flickering in his eyes.

What kind of lowly servant dares to ride a spirit beast?

Chu Liang, already in a sour mood, noticed Chen Huang glaring at him. He shot back a glare of his own.

One man was missing his beloved woman while the other one had just parted from his beloved woman. The two lonely men clashed with their eyes.

Irritated, Chen Huang wasn’t about to offer kindness to a mere servant and barked, "What are you staring at?!"

...

Moments later, a blaze of fire streaked across the sky as Chu Liang, feeling refreshed and revitalized, rode the Fierce Draconic Colt straight toward Mount Shu.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Chen Huang lay in a crumpled heap—bruised, battered, and sprawled across the dirt.

Tears welled in his eyes as he whimpered softly.

"You could’ve just stared... Did you really have to hit me that hard? Uwaaaaah..."